LifeSpan

LifeSpan is an innovative, evidence-based, world-class approach to suicide prevention currently being trialled in select sites in NSW, Australia.

LifeSpan

LifeSpan is an innovative, evidence-based, world-class approach to suicide prevention currently being trialled in select sites in NSW, Australia.

LifeSpan is a new, evidence-based approach to integrated suicide prevention. It combines nine strategies that have strong evidence for suicide prevention into one community-led approach incorporating health, education, frontline services, business and the community.

Based on scientific modelling, LifeSpan is predicted to prevent 21% of suicide deaths, and 30% of suicide attempts.

LifeSpan aims to build a safety net for the community by connecting and coordinating new and existing interventions and programs, and building the capacity of the community to better support people facing a suicide crisis.

In December 2015, Black Dog Institute received an independent philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation to deliver LifeSpan in four sites in NSW and scientifically assess the impact of LifeSpan.

Strategies and components

LifeSpan involves the implementation of nine evidence-based strategies simultaneously within a localised area. For each strategy, LifeSpan selects and implements the interventions or programs that have the strongest evidence-base.

These strategies are based on the most up-to-date evidence drawn from similar, large-scale suicide prevention programs overseas that have shown positive results.

This integrated systems approach is expected to prevent 21% of suicide deaths, and 30% of suicide attempts.